2012 03/07-03/13

Northern California's largest Filipino American newspaper in circulation since 1990, the Manila Mail is the Bay Area's most read Fil-Am weekly publication distributed free in major cities of Northern California. Community is a B Section page that contains the weekly column of Bradford Adkins 'SCENES in the city'. The column features include: the issues and events, the individuals and organizations moving the community.

Sarah Geronimo will reportedly perform at Cache Creek Casino Resort with Mark Bautista on Labor Day weekend (September 1-2, 2012), according to Show Producer, Ben Ramos.

16-year old Filipina-Mexican Jessica Sanchez of San Diego, CA leads the female American Idol finalists in the most number of Twitter followers and is expected to ace the "Whitney Houston" theme this week on American Idol.

Now considered a major major frontrunner at the ongoing Bb Pilipinas Beauty Pageant is Union City-based Katrina Jayne "Trina" Dimaranan. Announcement of winners and grand coronation is set on April 15, 2012 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

"Folded and Hung" model, Enrique Gil is the "Cain" to Gerald Anderson's "Abel" in "Budoy" - ABS-CBN's 'ending-this-week' advocacy/series about an autistic man.

Reports have it that KC Concepcion (who recently graced the cover of Rouge magazine) will also perform at Cache Creek Casino Resort with Jed Madela & Jon Santos on Memorial Day weekend (May 26-27, 2012), also according to Show Producer, Ben Ramos.

Vhong Navarro & Vina Morales will perform at Cache Creek Casino Resort (as posted on their website) this Friday & Saturday, March 9 & 10, 2012 respectively.

Seen spending good times with good friends in Millbrae, CA are Jerome Chua & wife, Melissa, Archie Dayan Ronald Allan Liao, Mike Borgonia & wife, Apple, Antonio De Leon, among others..

The AFTER SIX DANCE BAND headed by Roy Manlansan (2nd right) & Bheng Topacio Manalansan (left) performed at the Zen's in San Leandro last Saturday night. Zen's is celebrating their 6th year anniversary on Saturday, March 24. Free food and drinks will be served from 6pm-8pm.

Jun and Josephine Aguilar of Vintage Plus Dance Band performed at the Fresh Pizza Restaurant in San Lorenzo, CA shown here with Ted Alonzo, the owner and Letty Velasco, second right, of Alert Home Health in Dublin, CA.

SARAH GERONIMO @ CACHE CREEK CASINO ON LABOR DAY

(KC Concepcion, Jed Madela on Memorial Day; Vina & Vhong this weekend)

TO-BE-SEEN IN THE CITY

HOLD THAT VACATION! We received information from Show Producer & Owner of Edna’s Ichiban Library that Sarah Geronimo will perform with balladeer Mark Bautista at Northern CA’s Entertainment Capital, Cache Creek Casino on Labor Day Weekend (September 1 & 2, 2012). Prior to that, KC Concepcion with Jed Madela Jon Santos will also entertain audiences on Memorial Day Weekend (May 26 & 27, 2012). The casino’s website though, is yet to be updated with these developments, as of press time.

Before Sarah, before KC, there’s Vina Morales who will sing her heart out this Friday & Saturday, March 9 (show starts 9PM) & 10 (8PM), respectively at the Cache Creek Casino Resort’s Club 88. Vina will be joined by Vhong Navarro in entertaining casino audiences with his comedic antics, dance skills and more.

Cache Creek Casino Resort is located at 14455 Highway 16, Brooks, CA 95606.

SEEN IN THE CITY

“Thelma” at the CineQuest in San Jose

The 22^nd CineQuest Film Festival in San Jose, CA boasted of over 150 film entries and more than 700 artists from all around the globe. The festival guide lists the Philippines’ Paul Soriano-directed indie movie, “Thelma” starring Maja Salvador, a true story based on the struggles of national track star Thelma Muros. If you missed the movie, the next “Thelma” screenings will be on Thursday, March 8^th @ 9:15PM and Saturday, March 10^th @ 11:30AM. For other movies and showtimes, you may pick up a guide from any Peet’s Coffee location near you or go to this website:www.cinequest.org/media/CQ22Guide.pdf

Briefs & Shorts

ABS-CBN’s top rating teleserye “Budoy” ends this week and let me just give the team involved in this advocacy series a “pat in the back” for a job well done. Up to its final days, the amount of research being done to make the series (about an autistic character, Budoy) appear realistic is so evident on screen, so is the camerawork, story, screenplay, direction and of course, the acting. All the cast members contributed to the uplift of the TV show that we see every day but noteworthy are the depths displayed by the leads, Gerald Anderson (as Budoy) & Enrique Gil. You can’t pick between the two every time they share the scenes together and pit acting skills against each other but my highest praises are reserved for Enrique Gil (who is the newest actor I believe, in its roster of already seasoned cast) who portrayed the role of the adopted brother, BJ; the “Cain” to Budoy’s “Abel”. His role required exhibiting range of conflicted emotions almost every scene. If the TV award giving bodies won’t give the trophy to Gerald for “Budoy”, give it to the deserving Enrique.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"There is no hell; but even if there is, there is nobody there.” – by the every feisty Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, in response to Father Catalino Arevalo, Spiritual Adviser of former President Corazon Aquino, who expressed his opinion that she should go to hell after her publicly humiliating the prosecution during the impeachment trial of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona.

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